Picture Rob Carew> 8 September 2012. Jack Garthwaite (Montrose) on the ground.
MONTROSE will remain in division 2 for another year following a 12-point loss to Rowville in the Eastern Football League grand final at Jubilee Park, Ringwood on Saturday.
As the Hawks sealed their return to division 1, the Demons were one win short of the premiership for the second straight year. Rivals Lilydale won last year's flag.
In a tight, contested match the Demons led at quarter and half-time but five goals to two in the third term sent the Hawks to a 17-point lead at three-quarter-time. The Hawks then held off the Demons' final-quarter challenge to win the match.
Click here for a gallery of the grand final.
Billy Schilling kicked two goals for the Demons and Dean Stephen, Andrew Haining, Jye Goodman, Sam Goodman, Sam Rickard and Matt Langdon were named best players.
The Demons reserves scored a comfortable 34-point win over Upper Ferntree Gully in the division 2 reserves grand final earlier in the day.
The Demons led at every change with coach Chad Rogers kicking two goals and Matt Lowe, Lachlan Telford, Chad Rogers, Mark Pasini and Ben Stacey named best players.
The Weekly was unable to reach coach Brett Johnson or president Greg Gardoll for comment on Monday.
The EFL also confirmed over the weekend that the size of each division will remain the same in 2013 with just one team in each competition being replaced.
The league confirmed Croydon would drop into division 2, to be replaced by division 2 premiers Rowville while Doncaster would drop into division 3 and Coldstream into division 4.
EFL division 2 grand final
Rowville 1.3, 2.3, 7.7, 8.10 (58)
Montrose 3.1, 3.2, 5.2, 7.4 (46)
GOALS, Rowville: C. Morris 4, L. Scanlan 1, N. Hicks 1, M. Jackson 1, M. Stanley 1
Montrose: B. Schilling 2, M. Edwards 1, D. Stephen 1, A. Cook 1, D. Rickard 1
BEST, Rowville: A. Frawley, J. Kinder, N. Schoenmakers, M. McAra, M. Davey, J. Powell
Montrose: D. Stephen, A. Haining, J. Goodman, S. Goodman, S. Rickard, M. Langdon